The following post offices in Wayne County, West Virginia, represent some of my favorite locations: Adkin’s Mills (1869-1891), Cove Creek (1869-1912), Cove Gap (1877-?), Kiahsville (1884-?), Queen’s Ridge (1884-?), and Stiltner (1906-?). This list will be updated as time permits.
Adkin’s Mills Post Office (1869-1891)
Chapman Adkins: 19 August 1869 – 19 February 1873
Noah Peters: 19 February 1873 – 11 August 1874
Joseph Workman: 11 August 1874 – 14 March 1876
Nathaniel Turner: 14 March 1876 – 5 July 1876
John H. Napier: 5 July 1876 – 8 October 1877
Albert Watts: 8 October 1877 – 23 April 1879
Chapman Fry: 23 April 1879 – 8 January 1880
William Vaughan: 8 January 1880 – 20 September 1888
Charles W. Tabor: 20 September 1888 – 15 August 1889
Thomas Jackson: 15 August 1889 – 14 January 1891
Changed to East Lynn: 14 January 1891
Cove Creek Post Office (1869-1912)
Walter Queen: 17 May 1869 – 11 August 1870
John H. Queen: 11 August 1870 – 31 July 1871
Post office discontinued: 31 July 1871
Jackson Adkins: 8 April 1873 – 25 November 1874
Jesse Fry: 25 November 1874 – 31 May 1881
Walter Queen: 31 May 1881 – 16 August 1889
Walter Frasher: 16 August 1889 – 27 August 1909
Lindsey Frasher: 27 August 1909 – 15 July 1912
Post office discontinued: 15 July 1912, mail to East Lynn
Cove Gap Post Office (1877-?)
John McCoy: 10 January 1877 – 9 October 1877
Alexander Collins: 9 October 1877 – 23 October 1878
George W. Wiley: 23 October 1878 – 31 August 1885
Charles W. Tabor: 31 August 1885 – 20 January 1886
Frank M. Dickson: 20 January 1886 – 16 August 1887
William P. Mankin: 16 August 1887 – 12 October 1889
Rufus Pack: 12 October 1889 – 11 November 1889
G.F. Collins: 11 November 1889 – 8 March 1890
Mrs. Malinda M. Enochs: 8 March 1890 – 17 April 1896
Winfield S. Enochs: 17 April 1896 – 28 July 1898
Walter G. Sparks: 28 July 1898 – 6 November 1900
Rayburn Adkins: 6 November 1900 – 30 January 1901
Leander J. Adkins: 30 January 1901 – 31 January 1903
George W. Wiley: 31 January 1903 – 8 August 1912
Rayburn Adkins: 6 June 1914 – 6 January 1921
Samuel Dyer: 6 January 1921 – ?
Kiahsville Post Office (1884-present)
Joshua Queen: 16 June 1884 – 19 July 1895
Thomas P. Maynard: 19 July 1895 – 1 December 1921
Raymond Maynard: 1 December 1921 – ?
Queen’s Ridge Office (1884-?)
Louis C. Queen: 16 June 1884 – 5 May 1914
Checker S. Queen: 5 May 1914 – 13 September 1917
Willie Jones: 13 September 1917 – ?
Stiltner Post Office (1906-?)
Sherman Maynard: 12 November 1906 – 31 May 1907
William D. Frasher: 31 May 1907 – 18 June 1914
Frank H. Fry: 18 June 1914 – 7 December 1918
William D. Frasher: 19 April 1929 – ?
Source: U.S. Appointments of Postmasters, 1832-1971, maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Additional notes provided by Lucian W. Osborn in his “History of East Lynn Community” (1927): “There was no post office in this section until after the Civil War and the people here and for many miles above here had to go to Wayne Court House for their mail. But in 1868 Adkins Mill postoffice was established at the water mill then owned by Attison Adkins, one and one-half miles from our present community center. Chapman Adkins was the first postmaster. I am told that the amount of mail then received was so small that no mail bags were required to carry it in, and the mail only went once a week. After a few years the office was moved to the community center, and after going through various hands W. D. Vaughan was appointed postmaster in 1876. He moved the office down to where “Uncle Robert” Napier lived, a short distance from where the railroad depot now stands. Later Mr. Vaughan moved the office to where he now resides and kept it till about 1888 when C. W. Tabor was appointed postmaster. The office was then moved back to the community center and placed in H. Watts’ store. Soon after this the name was changed from Adkins Mill to East Lynn. Mr. Vaughn informs me that when he took charge of the office the pay for one month was only about five dollars and that not as much mail was received at the office in two months as is now received in one day.”
